Dear Ricky and Shelly,

When I left school for winter break, I had no idea I would fall head over heels for one of my friends here. You see all during break, I wanted nothing more then to hang out and talk with this person. We talked about three times a week and he even called me at the stroke of midnight on New Years. When I got back to school and saw my friend, I realized all I wanted was to go out with him. But, I don’t know how to tell him. Do you think the constant conversations and the midnight wish mean he likes me? What should I do?

– Falling Heart First

Dear FHF,

So you find yourself attracted to one of your friends, this isn’t uncommon. I could recommend you watching a chick flick, to predict the outcome of this potential relationship, but it is unrealistic!
You have two options; you go for it and risk (over) reading into your friend’s friendliness, or you hang back and do what you have always done.(I am a risk taker personally, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it results in more successful relationships.-It might actually be the contrary!)
Or sit back and see if this relationship and attention giving continues at school. Maybe he did miss you over break? I am glad he was thinking about you. But have you ever heard of ‘drunk dialing’? That is when intoxicated people call anyone and everyone they know, just to hear their voice. You might have been the next person on his cell phonebook list.
I think not to be the standard advice, but you are going to have to look for signs. With the revolution of men and women able to be just best friends, it is not an easy answer. Some of the greatest relationship stem from friendship, and other are just awkward!
Which ever choice you decide to make, make it in confidence. It is a new year and a new you, and perhaps a year for new love?…or maybe another year for a faithful friendship!
For all those looking for love in 2004, may you find who you are looking for!

Best of luck,
Shelly

Dear Falling,

The questions are “Do you think the constant conversations and the midnight wish mean he likes me?” and “What should I do?”
To your first qeustion, I don’t think he likes you. I’m guessing that his conversations with you were a clever plan on his part to use up the excesss minutes on his cell phone plan, so his parents would think that he was really getting good use out of it. And as for the call at midnight, well, we all do things we regret on New Years. OF COURSE HE LIKES YOU! What more proof are you looking for, it’s staring you in the face.
Here’s what to do. If you want your relationship to progress, just start hanging out with him more, do the unnessasary touching bit all you girls do so well, and he’ll get the messege that you are interested in more than friends. When he knows that he doesn’t have to fear any sort of rejection, I’m sure it will be no time before you are the newest happy couple walking down Bobcat Alley hand in hand.
One last piece of advice though, make sure he’s not recently out of a relationship. One pitfall may be that his attention to you has been filling some other void.
Aside from that, all is clear.

Good Luck Falling!
-Ricky